{Vintage Inspiration} four finds…

Posted by kristinloffertheiss on April 03, 2011 in four finds, vintage books, vintage illustrations, vintage inspiration, vintage toys | 21 Comments

I’ve been playing this game of karma lately when it comes to finding cool vintage goodies. It seems as if by dropping off a few boxes of my own junk at the local thrifts, I increase my luck with what I find at my favorite antique shop. I was over the moon with this latest batch of vintage goodness. Funny, but I think I shop & find things by palette. These four finds were purchased in the same few days (3 in the same trip).

My fondness for the monkey toy goes way back. When I saw him on the shelf, I think I jumped a little bit. I remember buying one just like that at a garage sale when I was kid. I thought he may freak Sayer out, but it’s like the monkey from “Toy Story” so he thought it was funny. The cover of the book immediately drew me in- I’m a sucker for owls, kitties, & illustrations of that vintage. I love the palette & imagery. Of course when I see any kind of vintage train or fire truck, I snatch it up of Sayer and this little vintage Fisher Price toy thrilled him. The tin, red doll case was a total score & now houses Sayer’s toys in my studio. All of these finds have actually found homes in my studio where I’m sure they will serve as inspiration in one form or another. Do you have a group of colors that you find you are drawn to often & are inspired by?

Hope are enjoying your weekend!

{Vintage Inspiration} four finds…

Posted by kristinloffertheiss on April 03, 2011 in four finds, vintage books, vintage illustrations, vintage inspiration, vintage toys | No Comments

I’ve been playing this game of karma lately when it comes to finding cool vintage goodies. It seems as if by dropping off a few boxes of my own junk at the local thrifts, I increase my luck with what I find at my favorite antique shop. I was over the moon with this latest batch of vintage goodness. Funny, but I think I shop & find things by palette. These four finds were purchased in the same few days (3 in the same trip).

My fondness for the monkey toy goes way back. When I saw him on the shelf, I think I jumped a little bit. I remember buying one just like that at a garage sale when I was kid. I thought he may freak Sayer out, but it’s like the monkey from “Toy Story” so he thought it was funny. The cover of the book immediately drew me in- I’m a sucker for owls, kitties, & illustrations of that vintage. I love the palette & imagery. Of course when I see any kind of vintage train or fire truck, I snatch it up of Sayer and this little vintage Fisher Price toy thrilled him. The tin, red doll case was a total score & now houses Sayer’s toys in my studio. All of these finds have actually found homes in my studio where I’m sure they will serve as inspiration in one form or another. Do you have a group of colors that you find you are drawn to often & are inspired by?

Hope are enjoying your weekend!

{Fabric Friday} vintage vera…

Posted by kristinloffertheiss on January 14, 2011 in Fabric Friday, Nostalgia, textiles, vera neumann, vintage inspiration | 9 Comments

I have really fond memories of playing in my mom’s scarf box. The feeling of the silks & chiffons, the patterns & colors, and the wafting scent of Charlie Perfume come to mind when I think about it. A while back I spotted a basket of scarves at the antique mall. They were all packaged in ziploc baggies & I really didn’t have time to sift through them. But I thought about them & saved that activity for a rainy day- when I need a studio break. That studio break came this week. I was completely delighted searching through the basket – the colors were amazing! But what really got my heart pumping was that the ones I kept picking up, were Vera Neumann scarves- and they were $6 a piece!

Vera was considered the “queen of mod” by many. Popular in the 60’s &’70’s, her textiles were infused with happiness and her painting background was evident in all of her designs. I’m drawn to her philosophy as much as her designs. Here is a snippet written about why she became so successful.

“...I think the biggest reason was that she painted up to the public. She was of the belief that fine art shouldn’t just be for the wealthy. It should be available to all and it should be incorporated in everyone’s everydays. By wearing a Vera dress, you can take your art with you. By wearing a Vera scarf, you can dress up pretty much anything. By having Vera linens in your kitchen, it puts a smile on your face while you’re doing the drabbest duties. Vera had the philosophy that you should change the art around you every once in a while because you soon stop seeing it. She made it to where a person can change their art as often as they change their clothes. Literally. ” – source

These scarves make me really happy. The colors just sing and the patterns are great! I felt really strongly about having them in my studio. I don’t know what part they are going to play in my creating, but just being able to juggle them on whim is worth a lot. They also make for a good rainy day activity with the kiddo. Playing dress up has never been so glamorous…

If you are fond of Vera as well and would like a little piece of fine art to wear, check out this Etsy Shop that has 297 Vera scarfs in stock! I don’t know about you, but I needed a little bit of cheerful color on this rainy day. Happy Fabric Friday!

{Fabric Friday} vintage vera…

Posted by kristinloffertheiss on January 14, 2011 in Fabric Friday, Nostalgia, textiles, Uncategorized, vera neumann, vintage inspiration | No Comments

I have really fond memories of playing in my mom’s scarf box. The feeling of the silks & chiffons, the patterns & colors, and the wafting scent of Charlie Perfume come to mind when I think about it. A while back I spotted a basket of scarves at the antique mall. They were all packaged in ziploc baggies & I really didn’t have time to sift through them. But I thought about them & saved that activity for a rainy day- when I need a studio break. That studio break came this week. I was completely delighted searching through the basket – the colors were amazing! But what really got my heart pumping was that the ones I kept picking up, were Vera Neumann scarves- and they were $6 a piece!

Vera was considered the “queen of mod” by many. Popular in the 60’s &’70’s, her textiles were infused with happiness and her painting background was evident in all of her designs. I’m drawn to her philosophy as much as her designs. Here is a snippet written about why she became so successful.

“...I think the biggest reason was that she painted up to the public. She was of the belief that fine art shouldn’t just be for the wealthy. It should be available to all and it should be incorporated in everyone’s everydays. By wearing a Vera dress, you can take your art with you. By wearing a Vera scarf, you can dress up pretty much anything. By having Vera linens in your kitchen, it puts a smile on your face while you’re doing the drabbest duties. Vera had the philosophy that you should change the art around you every once in a while because you soon stop seeing it. She made it to where a person can change their art as often as they change their clothes. Literally. ” – source

These scarves make me really happy. The colors just sing and the patterns are great! I felt really strongly about having them in my studio. I don’t know what part they are going to play in my creating, but just being able to juggle them on whim is worth a lot. They also make for a good rainy day activity with the kiddo. Playing dress up has never been so glamorous…

If you are fond of Vera as well and would like a little piece of fine art to wear, check out this Etsy Shop that has 297 Vera scarfs in stock! I don’t know about you, but I needed a little bit of cheerful color on this rainy day. Happy Fabric Friday!

{Fabric Friday} vintage vera…

Posted by kristinloffertheiss on January 14, 2011 in Fabric Friday, Nostalgia, textiles, vera neumann, vintage inspiration | No Comments

I have really fond memories of playing in my mom’s scarf box. The feeling of the silks & chiffons, the patterns & colors, and the wafting scent of Charlie Perfume come to mind when I think about it. A while back I spotted a basket of scarves at the antique mall. They were all packaged in ziploc baggies & I really didn’t have time to sift through them. But I thought about them & saved that activity for a rainy day- when I need a studio break. That studio break came this week. I was completely delighted searching through the basket – the colors were amazing! But what really got my heart pumping was that the ones I kept picking up, were Vera Neumann scarves- and they were $6 a piece!

Vera was considered the “queen of mod” by many. Popular in the 60’s &’70’s, her textiles were infused with happiness and her painting background was evident in all of her designs. I’m drawn to her philosophy as much as her designs. Here is a snippet written about why she became so successful.

“...I think the biggest reason was that she painted up to the public. She was of the belief that fine art shouldn’t just be for the wealthy. It should be available to all and it should be incorporated in everyone’s everydays. By wearing a Vera dress, you can take your art with you. By wearing a Vera scarf, you can dress up pretty much anything. By having Vera linens in your kitchen, it puts a smile on your face while you’re doing the drabbest duties. Vera had the philosophy that you should change the art around you every once in a while because you soon stop seeing it. She made it to where a person can change their art as often as they change their clothes. Literally. ” – source

These scarves make me really happy. The colors just sing and the patterns are great! I felt really strongly about having them in my studio. I don’t know what part they are going to play in my creating, but just being able to juggle them on whim is worth a lot. They also make for a good rainy day activity with the kiddo. Playing dress up has never been so glamorous…

If you are fond of Vera as well and would like a little piece of fine art to wear, check out this Etsy Shop that has 297 Vera scarfs in stock! I don’t know about you, but I needed a little bit of cheerful color on this rainy day. Happy Fabric Friday!

{Vintage Fisher Price} Welcome to my studio Dr. Doodle…

Posted by kristinloffertheiss on December 29, 2010 in Etsy treasury, Fisher Price, Nostalgia, vintage inspiration | 4 Comments

Dr. Doodle was under the tree for me this year & he made my heart go all a flutter. I had spotted him at my favorite antique mall about a month ago and told Chris all about his wise ducky charm. I was just thrilled to see his eyes peaking up at me from inside my Christmas package. He appears to be a perfect studio companion – all eager to offer up inspiration & help remedy any creative conundrums I may find myself in.

This addition to my Fisher Price collection called for some re-organization. I decided that the FP toys that were made before 1970 would go in my studio. And the ones from the 1970’s could stay in Sayer’s room. This need for re-organization also came in part from the playmobil explosion in Sayer’s room that came with Christmas. So I cleaned off a spot for my collection of old friends in my studio – but they appeared to need another friend in the group to make a true collection. So, I decided it was time to visit my many FP “favorites” on Etsy.

{jalopy photos via here}

I found this guy a long time ago- he was way at in the middle of my favorites and rather than buying him right away, I created a whole circus treasury around him. Thinking that filled the void, I went to bed. However, it didn’t & I bought him the next afternoon- adding another cool circus find (an awesome vintage pop up book) in it’s place. Can’t wait to see this old jalopy in my studio. In my mindless Etsy cruisin’ (in an attempt to relax) I did happen to stumble on a few more VERY tempting FP toys that I have been thinking about ever since. I will have to practice restraint for now- I sort of go on the whole toy fate thing. If it is truly meant to be… it will still be there when I’m ready.

View “Take me to the circus” Etsy treasury here if you need to take a circus break like I did.

What sort of things do you like to collect?

{Vintage Fisher Price} Welcome to my studio Dr. Doodle…

Posted by kristinloffertheiss on December 29, 2010 in Etsy treasury, Fisher Price, Nostalgia, Uncategorized, vintage inspiration | No Comments

Dr. Doodle was under the tree for me this year & he made my heart go all a flutter. I had spotted him at my favorite antique mall about a month ago and told Chris all about his wise ducky charm. I was just thrilled to see his eyes peaking up at me from inside my Christmas package. He appears to be a perfect studio companion – all eager to offer up inspiration & help remedy any creative conundrums I may find myself in.

This addition to my Fisher Price collection called for some re-organization. I decided that the FP toys that were made before 1970 would go in my studio. And the ones from the 1970’s could stay in Sayer’s room. This need for re-organization also came in part from the playmobil explosion in Sayer’s room that came with Christmas. So I cleaned off a spot for my collection of old friends in my studio – but they appeared to need another friend in the group to make a true collection. So, I decided it was time to visit my many FP “favorites” on Etsy.

{jalopy photos via here}

I found this guy a long time ago- he was way at in the middle of my favorites and rather than buying him right away, I created a whole circus treasury around him. Thinking that filled the void, I went to bed. However, it didn’t & I bought him the next afternoon- adding another cool circus find (an awesome vintage pop up book) in it’s place. Can’t wait to see this old jalopy in my studio. In my mindless Etsy cruisin’ (in an attempt to relax) I did happen to stumble on a few more VERY tempting FP toys that I have been thinking about ever since. I will have to practice restraint for now- I sort of go on the whole toy fate thing. If it is truly meant to be… it will still be there when I’m ready.

View “Take me to the circus” Etsy treasury here if you need to take a circus break like I did.

What sort of things do you like to collect?

{Vintage Fisher Price} Welcome to my studio Dr. Doodle…

Posted by kristinloffertheiss on December 29, 2010 in Etsy treasury, Fisher Price, Nostalgia, vintage inspiration | No Comments

Dr. Doodle was under the tree for me this year & he made my heart go all a flutter. I had spotted him at my favorite antique mall about a month ago and told Chris all about his wise ducky charm. I was just thrilled to see his eyes peaking up at me from inside my Christmas package. He appears to be a perfect studio companion – all eager to offer up inspiration & help remedy any creative conundrums I may find myself in.

This addition to my Fisher Price collection called for some re-organization. I decided that the FP toys that were made before 1970 would go in my studio. And the ones from the 1970’s could stay in Sayer’s room. This need for re-organization also came in part from the playmobil explosion in Sayer’s room that came with Christmas. So I cleaned off a spot for my collection of old friends in my studio – but they appeared to need another friend in the group to make a true collection. So, I decided it was time to visit my many FP “favorites” on Etsy.

{jalopy photos via here}

I found this guy a long time ago- he was way at in the middle of my favorites and rather than buying him right away, I created a whole circus treasury around him. Thinking that filled the void, I went to bed. However, it didn’t & I bought him the next afternoon- adding another cool circus find (an awesome vintage pop up book) in it’s place. Can’t wait to see this old jalopy in my studio. In my mindless Etsy cruisin’ (in an attempt to relax) I did happen to stumble on a few more VERY tempting FP toys that I have been thinking about ever since. I will have to practice restraint for now- I sort of go on the whole toy fate thing. If it is truly meant to be… it will still be there when I’m ready.

View “Take me to the circus” Etsy treasury here if you need to take a circus break like I did.

What sort of things do you like to collect?

{Vintage Inspiration} Art Seiden…

Posted by kristinloffertheiss on November 04, 2010 in Art Seiden, children's books, vintage books, vintage illustrations, vintage inspiration | 17 Comments

Sayer and I just finished up story time and he chose all of my Art Seiden books to read today. He really is fond of them so I thought it would be a good time to share my little vintage collection with you. I’ve been collecting anything with Art Seiden illustrations for a while now and my favorites are from the ’60’s Romper Room – Wonder Book – series. Sayer loves the train books in particular. But here is a tiny peek into each one…

The Romper Room Safety Book – Story by Nancy Claster- Pictures by Art Seiden- Wonder Books 1965

Puppies, pictures by Art Seiden 1980

Golden Clock Book by Ben Ross Berenberg – pictures by Art Seiden 1970

The Little Engine That Laughed by Alf Evers – Illustrated by Art Seiden 1950

The Train to Timbuctoo by Margret Wise Brown – pictures by Art Seiden- Little Golden Book 1951

The Romper Room Do Dee Book of Manners by Nancy Claster – pictures by Art Seiden – Wonder Books 1977

Yep, we read them all today. This Manners book is really funny- it cracks Sayer up too. There is even a “mother check off chart” to see if your child is a “Do Bee”. I won’t tell you the results of our check list. But I will tell you that Sayer likes the “Don’t Bee” boy’s outfit better, hmmm. I will bring these out again to share more another time. This is just a taste. I really enjoy looking at how Art Seiden’s illustrations have evolved over the years, along with how much they have influenced current illustrators today. Hope you liked our Art Seiden story time…

{Vintage Inspiration} Art Seiden…

Posted by kristinloffertheiss on November 04, 2010 in Art Seiden, children's books, Uncategorized, vintage books, vintage illustrations, vintage inspiration | No Comments

Sayer and I just finished up story time and he chose all of my Art Seiden books to read today. He really is fond of them so I thought it would be a good time to share my little vintage collection with you. I’ve been collecting anything with Art Seiden illustrations for a while now and my favorites are from the ’60’s Romper Room – Wonder Book – series. Sayer loves the train books in particular. But here is a tiny peek into each one…

The Romper Room Safety Book – Story by Nancy Claster- Pictures by Art Seiden- Wonder Books 1965

Puppies, pictures by Art Seiden 1980

Golden Clock Book by Ben Ross Berenberg – pictures by Art Seiden 1970

The Little Engine That Laughed by Alf Evers – Illustrated by Art Seiden 1950

The Train to Timbuctoo by Margret Wise Brown – pictures by Art Seiden- Little Golden Book 1951

The Romper Room Do Dee Book of Manners by Nancy Claster – pictures by Art Seiden – Wonder Books 1977

Yep, we read them all today. This Manners book is really funny- it cracks Sayer up too. There is even a “mother check off chart” to see if your child is a “Do Bee”. I won’t tell you the results of our check list. But I will tell you that Sayer likes the “Don’t Bee” boy’s outfit better, hmmm. I will bring these out again to share more another time. This is just a taste. I really enjoy looking at how Art Seiden’s illustrations have evolved over the years, along with how much they have influenced current illustrators today. Hope you liked our Art Seiden story time…

{Vintage Inspiration} four finds…

{Vintage Inspiration} four finds…

{Fabric Friday} vintage vera…

{Fabric Friday} vintage vera…

{Fabric Friday} vintage vera…

{Vintage Fisher Price} Welcome to my studio Dr. Doodle…

{Vintage Fisher Price} Welcome to my studio Dr. Doodle…

{Vintage Fisher Price} Welcome to my studio Dr. Doodle…

{Vintage Inspiration} Art Seiden…

{Vintage Inspiration} Art Seiden…

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